Safety outlet device



April 26, 1938. J. B. COLE I SAFETYOUTLET DEVICE Filed Feb. 16, 19:57

Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT *o1-Fics 'i 1 claim.

My invention is a safety outlet device for controlling the withdrawal of iiuids.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, a

plurality of which may be connected with or installed upon a liquid container, at desired points, and will normally prevent the escape of the fluid, but which may be used with valve or valves, to permit of the withdrawal of the fluid at selected points.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, constituting a safety device, to automatically cut off the flow of the fluid if the valve or coupling carried thereby should become 'broken Aor injured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, having a spring pressed valve body automatically closing in case of improper escape of fluid, with the operating parts properly enclosed or housed to insure proper operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned characterso constructed that the coupling or valve is securely attached to the same before the valve body is unseated to permit of escape of the fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for unseating the valve body which is also adapted to serve as the usual coupling for connection with the valve casing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during-the course of the following description.

' In the accompanying drawing forming apart of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention showing the same attached to a globe valve, y

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a similar View showing the coupling broken away and the valve element of the safety device closed,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, Y

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the safety device, showing an internally engaging key for unseating the Valve element, and,

Figure-6 is a horizontal section through the safety device, showing thesame used as an attachment plug.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration isy shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral I0 designates a tank or receptacle for holding a fluid, gas or liquid, which may or may not be under pressure exceeding atmospheric pressure.v This tank is providedwith a boss I I,V having a screw-threaded opening l2, as 5 shown.

My safety coupling device comprises a tubular body portion I 3, having exterior screw-threads I4 and I5, with a polygonal intermediate portion I6, whereby the body portion may be readily turned 10 by a wrench or suitable tool. Formed integral with the body portion I3 is a tubular housing II, of reduced diameter, so that its periphery terminates inwardly of the base of the screw-threads I4. This tubular housing has itsinner or -forward 15 end closed by a cap or end I8, which may be secured in place by any suitable means, such as welding or the like, to provide a uid tight joint. Having a sliding fit within the tubular housing is a cylindrical valve body I9, to engage the valve 20 seat 2ll, and to cover openings 2| formed in the periphery of the housing I'I. This valve body I9 is moved toward its seat 'by a suitably stiff compressible coil spring 22. The cap I8 is placed in position after the valve body I9 and spring 25' 22 have been introduced into the tubular housing.

It is thus seen that the tubular housing encloses and protects the spring 22, andthe major portion of the valve body I9 when it is in the open position, and the valve seat 20 is also protected to a 30 considerable extent. The valve seat 2B is arranged slightly in advance of the adjacent ends of the openings 2 I, and the valve body I9 will effectively cut off the supply of fluid by engaging the valve seat 20 andcompletely closing the openings 2l 35Y shortly before the valve seat is engaged. Should the valve bodyv not accurately engage its valve seat, due to deposits or the like thereon, the ow of the fluid would be promptly cut off by the closing of the openings 2|. f 4

The body portion I3 is provided with an inwardly radially projecting portion23, having internal screw-threads 24. 'I'his internal screwthreaded portion extends inwardly beyond the smooth bore 25, as shown, for a'reason to be described. The valve seat 2l)v is spaced from'the ends of the screw-threads 24as shown. 'I y 4The numeral 26 designates a destructible coupling, formed of metal and having internal 5()A screw-threads 2l, preferably extending throughout its entire length. One end of this coupling is adapted to be screwed upon the exteriorA screw-threads I5 of the body portion I3. HArranged within the coupling 26 andlspaced from 55^ ring Va stop shoulder 32.

means and this bridge Vor bar carries an elongated stem 29. -ThisfstemY is rigidly attached to the bridge or bar 28,V and the connection is preferably detachable, which is effected by having a reduced extension of the stem and enter an opening 3l formed in the bridge or bar 28, afford- The stem 29 is supported concentrically with the ybody portion I3 and is arranged to engage within a recess or depression 33 formed in the end of the valve body I9. The coupling 26 screws upon the screwthreaded por# tion I5 and the bridge or bar 28 is spaced a suitable distance from the attaching end of the cou'- pling 28 so that the attaching end will securely engage with the screw-,threaded portion I5 for two or more turns of threads and therefore cannot become accidentally separated fromthe Vbody portion I3, before the stemv 29 is moved forwardly sufficiently to shift the valve body I9 from its seat. This is an important safety factor in applying the coupling 26 to the body portion I3. The coupling 26 is destructible, and is preferably formed of metal, and by destructibility is meant that the coupling 26 will more readily break when struck a blow than the body portion I3, or

coupling 26, as shown. Y Vrectly connected with the coupling or it may be sponding to the stem 29.

pipe or valve to be connected with the outer end of the coupling, or the coupling may be destructible in the sense that it may be formed of a fusi-V ble metal, which will melt when subjected to undue heat. The coupling 26 is of course sunlciently strong to answer its normal working requirements.y

The numeral 34 designates a valve, such as a globe'valve, including the casing Vhaving an externally threaded nipple 35, to engage within the 'I'his valve may be diconnected with the coupling through the medium of section of pipe, if desired.

If the body portion I3 should possibly be broken Y olf forwardly of the screw-threads I5, then the coupling 26 or a similar coupling could no-t be employed to unseat the valve body I9. To takeY care of this situation, I provide an Yinternal tubular lcoupling-key 36, of a smaller diameter than the bore 25 and having a reduced externally screw-threaded portion 3'I to engage Ywith the internal screw-threads 24. This tubular couplingkey has a transverse bridge or bar 38, correspond'- ing to the bar 28 and carryinga stem 39 corre- The forward end of the coupling-key 36 is so Vspaced from the forward f Aend of the stem 39 that the threads 3'I and 24 will engage for two `or more turns Ybefore the stem 39 unseats the valve body I9, thus insuring that the tubular coupling-key 36 will be securely attached to the body portion I3 before unseating the valve body. At its rear'end, the tubular coupling-key has a diametrically enlarged portion 46, having an internal diameter7^ correspondingV to that ofthe coupling 26, andyhaving internal threads 4I. A `globe valvesimilar tothe globeI valve 34 maybe attached toV the portion 40 in the same manner as attached to the coupling 26.

In use, the safety-coupling-device may berapplied tothe tank I0, as shown in Figure 1 and 76 when thus applied the valve body I9 will be held seatedby the spring 22, as clearly shown in Fig uresV 3k and 6. Any suitable number of these safety-coupling-devices may thus be applied toa )tank or the like, 'thus' enabling the fluid to. be

withdrawn from various points, as desired. When it is desired to apply a globe 'valve or the like to two or more turns of the threads, thus assuring secure attachment between the coupling and body portion I3, beforethe stem 29 unseats the valve body I9. By completely screwing up rthe coupling 26 the valve body I9 is l.moved forwardlyv sufl1.

ciently to uncover the openings 2i in whole or in part, to permit of the discharge of the fluid, upon the manipulation of the globe valve 34. Should itbe desired to install a new globe valve 34, the globe valve and coupling V26 are turned as a unit to unscrew the coupling until the valve body I9 is seated. The coupling 26 may now be separated 'from the globe Valve with or without moving'the coupling from the body portion I3. If the coupling remains upon the body portion I3it may be employed to unseat theV valve I9, if desired.

With the parts assembled as shown in Figure 24 and the valve body I9 open, should lthe globe valve and associated elementsv be struck a severe blow, the destructible coupling 26 may break off, as shown in Figure 3,*which would normally result in the improper escape of the fluid. However; should this occur, the stem 29 would then be unsupported and the spring 22would immediately seat the valve body I9, thus automatically cutting off the escape vof the iluid. Should the valve body 26 be made offfusible metal and fuse due to intense heat, as upon the outbreak of a re, the valve body I9. would automatically close, thus preventing the improper escape of the fluid. Should the body portion I3 be broken off inwardly of the screwfthreads 21 or the polygonal portion I6, the valve body I9 wouldV automatically close, and thisvalve body cannot then be unseated by the use of the coupling 26 and associated elements. The tubular coupling-key 3B Wouldthen be employed which would engage the internal screw-'threads 24 which are arranged in advance of the screw-threads 2T, as shown. The valve body I9 may be unseated bythe Vtubular couplingkey which may or may not'carry" a K globe valve.

The safety coupling device may be applied to r any receptacles or containers holding a fluidror in excess of atmospheric pressure. Thel same may be used in connection withy the'gauge cocks on a steam boiler, upon radiators, and'various other tanks and receptacles.

gas, which may or'may not be under pressure Itis to be understood thatftheiformsloffmy invention herein shownand described are tov be taken' as preferred examples of the same and the various changes in the size, shape, and ar-4 rangement of parts, maybe resorted to without f departing from the spirit of my invention the scope of the subjoinedclaim. Y .Y

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect bylietters Patent is:Y

A temporary means for coupling a pipe and a I valve plug including a tubular body portion and automatically seating valve' body, said means comprisingk a tubular Vcoupling-key` having means for connectionwith the pipe and being of less diameter than the tubular body portion and adapted to have threaded engagement with the interior of the tubular body portion of the plug near the inner end of the tubular body portion, and a valve opening stem engaging the valve body and attached to the tubular coupling-key outwardly of the tubular body portion of the plug whereby if the tubular coupling-key was broken o' exteriorly of said tubular body portion the valve body will automatically close and the ow of liquid from the receptacle prevented.

JOHN B. COLE. 

